Hand-operated plier tools have been used for crimping electrical connectors to ends of electrical leads. These various plier tools often include a pair of cooperating jaws that may be either fixed or interchangeable. The cooperating jaws are mounted to the ends of cooperating handles.
The cooperating handles are capable of moving, relative to each other, in either an open or a closed configuration. More specifically, in the open configuration, the handles are moved relative to each other in such a way that the cooperating jaws are separated from one another. Likewise, in the closed configuration, the handles are moved relative to each other in such a way that the cooperating jaws are brought together, such that the jaws are closed about any objects, such as electrical connectors, that may be placed between the cooperating jaws.
It is known to provide similar hand-operated plier tools that require electrical connectors to be positioned in a direction across the tool such that the electrical connector is parallel to the pivot axis of the cooperating interconnecting handles of the tool.
The use of such hand-operated plier tools is made difficult in confined spaces. For example, electrical leads located in engine compartments and instrument panels of vehicles are typically disposed within narrow spaces between adjacent structures and, in such cases, the electrical leads are often too short to extend outwardly from the narrow space, making access to the electrical connector difficult, and the crimping of the electrical connector even more frustrating. The inaccessibility of the electrical leads may cause the user numerous failed attempts to crimp the electrical connector to the electrical lead, ultimately resulting in tossed electrical connectors.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved electrical connector crimping tool that is particularly useful in crimping electrical connectors to ends of the electrical leads in tight and confined spaces.